Geezer Of The Seas

I was one of the covid cases. 3 weeks before our cruise last November.  Tested negative 48 hours before departure.  Had the original 3 shots in 2021, nothing since. My doctor, though receiving the new/improved booster was not concerned when I refused it. He confided the data he had been reviewing (and not Interweb BS) shows the efficacy of the boosters is almost as dismal as this season's flu vaccines.

Had I continued to test positive, no way in hell was I climbing aboard a ship. 

Been a tough season for cooties. Between us and our daughter and her family of 5, 6 cases of strep, 3 Covid, and we just took our 17 month old (was very premature) granddaughter to her doctor 3 days ago. She was given a PCR test that returned positive for Metapneumovirus, RSV & Parainfluenza. She's a fighter, now returning to her healthy and 'make papa drink' normal self.  

We did a studio session on our first cruise. Stupid expensive, but worth every penny, Ordered a nice canvas of Mrs. Geezer and myself all cleaned up and pretty that hangs over the fireplace.

And there wasn't an Olan Mills in the immediate area, so......................

7 minutes ago, GatorCruiser said:

Please elaborate further on your Mardi Gras experience, I’m curious what you encountered. 

An educated guess. Passenger load (double occupancy) on Mardi Gras is 5200, 6500 max. That's Oasis Class number on a ship that's 50K gross tons/ 60 ft. or so shorter. The ship must have been packed to the rafters on the sailing. 

It's the Internet, and one can do wonderous things with a computer these days. There was a recent story on CNN or Fox News website about the Tic Tac craze on the world cruise. The one video snippet I could watch on the website (don't do any of the social media sites) looked suspiciously................contrived, shall we say? Can't even remember who the 'influencer' was, though they seemed more under the influence.

Clicks+Ads=$$$$.

We were docked in a David (Mariner) Goliath (Wonder) scenario last November at Cozumel.  Now, Wonder is "just another ship". 

The real highlight was at departure. As Wonder pulled away from the pier a woman on a balcony on Wonder apparently had a Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday in New Orleans moment.........................and no one was tossing beads. 

Icon's lifeboat?  

"Scammed" on the ship, "scammed" in a port. Happens in any high traffic tourist area anywhere in the world I suspect. Customs & Border Protection occasionally does sweeps of the International Drive area in Orlando, seizing counterfeit merchandise (or stolen).

On a ship, if there's an urgency to move merchandise, I discovered quite by accident, if you say 'NO' enough times and prepare to walk, a considerable discount may happen. 

50 minutes ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

Wow that is something I have never been reminded about!  And it is so easy to not think about those benefits…you’ve apparently had better wait staff than I have!  I will just need to be extra cautious in remembering from now on because yes, I have left a cruise or two never having used my 50% off wine benefits …but did enjoy the !  

On Wonder last April, the crew member staffing The Doghouse asked me if I'd like to apply the 50% discount to the can of Corona I ordered with my dog.

May not be everyone's experience  but I'm glad the crew notices because I generally don't give it a thought.

Anything can happen, but we've done dining packages (not UDP) on 3 ships and have never been charged for a meal included in the dining package; only for alcohol if ordered with dinner since we had no alcohol package. That said, we've always been asked by the waiter when ordering wine if we would like to apply the discount to the wine purchase associated with C & A benefits (that we without exception forget about). In our experience, the wait staff and bartenders have been very good reminding us if we haven't used the benefit. 

For reassurance, always review your Sea Pass account activity daily. A trip to Guest Services will take care of your concern should it occur.

The engine control room looks like a giant video game, monitors and consoles. But the crew on watch had one monitor displaying World Cup Matches of to the side. Fascinating stuff and the chief engineer on watch suffered gladly through all my questions and I had a bunch. Tours run about 3 hrs by the way.

Tour size is limited to a relative handful of people for security and safety reasons. If your suite level qualifies for the complimentary tour, your concierge can answer that. They are also limited to sea days. Like any other 'excursion' , they can be canceled.

Complimentary or not, definitely worthwhile experience; was a highlight of our 8 day trip on Jewel  in '22. Lots of walking but thoroughly enjoyable, especially  the bridge,  engine control room, galley & laundry. Crew was extremely gracious and informative. 

1 hour ago, Keanoknick said:

 

I agree the picture should match to be able to get a drink,  and that you shouldn't even try to use someone else's DBP.

Anyone think there will come a time when your picture is on the Sea Pass card a' la Costco membership card? 

Get ready for rock n' roll if your inbound to Port Canaveral. The serious wind and storms are heading offshore now, though the weather dart throwers say the thunderstorms should lose intensity as they enter the Atlantic.

I was sober at the time, but in case I was hallucinating in the Caribbean heat, someone can correct me. When ordering drinks for my wife and myself (we were on 'pay as you go' beverage plan) at the Solarium Bar on Wonder last year, I swear my security photo appeared on the terminal when the bartender swiped my sea pass card to enter the purchase. That would be a problem  if someone other than the cardholder is using it, no?  And money out the window if the plan was voided for misuse (if that's a thing)?

First time I was seated and able to see the  terminal when purchasing anything onboard.

 for Home2Suites and Zarella's. Been there loved both. 

But......love does have a price,  for that matter anywhere within spitting distance of the port entrance does.

We also did a pre-cruise stay at the Radisson. Nice enough hotel, decent restaurant, but a little raucous for us, especially if your room is near the pool deck. The parking lot scramble of shuttles and cars leaving for the port is like the start of the Daytona 500......

On 12/12/2023 at 4:24 PM, smokeybandit said:

That article was amusing because the entire thing is based on that screenshot posted above.

This blog posted a loooooooooooooooong column over the weekend regarding a 'Discovery' ship class based on a 1 paragraph Facebook post by Michael Bayley.

Similar to hyperventilation article on Cruisehive breathlessly describing coming massive improvements to NCL's private island............based on a single paragraph on a Miami construction company's website that said way less than the article speculated.  

When the steel is cut and the sand and coquina are turned.........................until then, Internet/Social Media speculation and clickbait.

On 5/29/2023 at 5:27 PM, Vancity Cruiser said:

Margaritaville at sea? 

That garbage scow that sails from WPB? Soon to be joined by an old relic they're acquiring from Carnival that will do 4-5 day itineraries in July '24 from Tampa? 

Pass.............

On Wonder last April, we observed the Bionic Bar, video'd a "bartender" in action but never ordered a drink from the Bionic Bar; not when a couple of bartenders in the Trellis Bar were showing their appreciation for our appreciation of them. 

Rising Tide is another venue that left me thinking "what's the point"?

58 minutes ago, CrimsonCruiser said:

I can say that ones booked through Royal will have you back pretty much exactly when they are supposed to. I think it's part of the terms the excursions companies have to adhere to be in good standing with the cruise line. That said...life happens. flat tires..........

Funny you should mention flat tires. We were on a 3 hour bus excursion of Bonaire Nov. '22. We were returning to the port and were passing the airport (could see Jewel across the bay) when suddenly..........KABOOM!!!! A tire on the rear axle explosively failed, scaring the living hell out of everyone on the bus and a construction crew building a house on the beach. The driver (reducing his speed to a crawl)got back to port with time to spare...............and a generous tip from us because we had no interest in walking the last mile or so................

PS: I know some pooh pooh bus tours, but this was excellent. Saw a lot, 2 outstanding guides sharing information about their country and many enjoyable stops. 

1 hour ago, Rackham said:

While I can't see Royal cannibalizing DBP sales by offering a 10 punch, any drink card in the cruise planner......

I'm still gnawing on Ampurp85's "now you see it, now you don't" observation. It suggests to me this card appears when drink package reservations and/or a la carte sales are in the crapper on a given trip and it's one of those revenue management tools to be used in case of emergency.................

6 hours ago, tjcruisers said:

Do you have a link to the follow up piece? Few things seemed off in the original

No I don't. Just checked the website and can't locate original or follow up. The wife did say in the follow up piece they have private insurance which I assume meant employer provided or personal not Medicare. Even in that scenario, in a foreign country I can't imagine an American healthcare plan doing immediate pay, especially without utilization review, etc (healthcare providers in America are getting equally aggressive with payment demands in ER's, firsthand knowledge there). And the air ambulance charge wound up being 25K which apparently took the patient to a Cleveland Clinic facility in Florida.

Other than that, the follow up was mostly information from an insurance broker that sells travel insurance. 

The ABC local affiliate that did the original story posted a follow up piece on their website. The man's spouse admitted to the reporter they DID NOT purchase travel insurance, saying they rationalized they didn't need for anything other than trip cancelation, never entertaining the possibility of a medical crisis.

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/hostage-situation-sanford-man-forced-pay-thousands-before-emergency-heart-surgery-mexico/ULCUKMOX25HQDFZKRUROTTKCNQ/

NOT an RCCL trip, but nonetheless a "There but for the grace of  God" moment. A lot of detail missing, but prayers and best wishes for a complete recovery.

Also why for our last trip I bought a 3rd party travel policy that had an 'immediate payment' rider on the emergency medical and evacuation coverage, because you never know..............

Best $500 dollar purchase we didn't need to use.

1 hour ago, Vancity Cruiser said:

Haven't seen that since 2020! Interesting its back. I wonder if that means less people are paying the ridiculous drink package prices.

If I were a gambler, I'd put all my chips on YES!!! as the answer to the question.

I'm thinking the add-ons such as drinks and specialty dining might be suffering the effect of the fare hikes. Last trip out on Mariner in November, there were employees of Jamie's and Chops making the rounds of the Windjammer soliciting individual night reservations. Kinda like the spa employees that all but do open field tackles of passengers in the corridor outside the spa entrance hawking treatments.